Talent show guru Simon Cowell is taking his popular television formula to find new stars seeking fast fame to YouTube, joining a growing trend of companies using the Internet to bypass traditional broadcasters.
Cowell, the mastermind behind global TV franchises “The X Factor” and “Got Talent”, unveiled plans on Monday for the first global audition channel, called The You Generation, which was launched in 26 countries on 20th March 2013.
Syco Entertainment, Cowell’s joint venture with Sony Music, said it had teamed up with YouTube to run 26 fortnightly contests over the next year to give people the chance to upload audition videos showing their skills and win a cash prize. “Our mission is to discover the world’s next big YouTube stars and showcase their amazing and unique talents on The You Generation channel”, they said in a joint statement.
Organizers of the new YouTube channel said wannabe stars can upload videos in a list of categories, from make-up artists to style gurus, chefs to vocalists, adding that all submissions would be judged by Syco executives and relevant experts.
Every fortnight one winner will get a cash prize and become a finalist to win “an amazing grand prize”. No further details were available but winners of Cowell’s singing contest, “The X Factor”, win a recording contract.
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Up to 69,000 people had subscribed to the channel by Monday.
You Generation territories were listed as Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, Britain, Czech Republic, France, Israel, Poland, Russia, Spain, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil.
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